Manufacture of envelopes and machine therefor



[July 21, 1936. v, E HEYWOOD v 2,048,069

MANUFACTURE OF ENVELOPES AND MACHINE THEREFOR Filed Sept. 14, 1931 3 5Sheets-Sheet 2 invenuon lfzncen'i 6. Heywood. (I I v d M fl iioaney Jul21, 1936. v, E, QEYWOOD 2,048,069

MANUFACTURE OF ENVELOPES AND MACHINE'THEREFOR Filed Sept. 14, 1931 5Sheets-Sheet 5 lmrencon Mnceni (f. Heywood.

by Hi'ionneu Patented July 21, 1936 warren STATES MANUFACTURE OFENVELOPES AND MACHINE THEREFOR Vincent E. Heywood, Worcester,,Mas s.,assignor to United States Envelope Company, Springfield, Mass., a.corporation of 'Maine Application September 14, 1931, Serial No. 562,695

5 Claims.

I The present invention relates to the manufacture of envelopes, and hasfor its object the provision of instrumentalities for making completedenvelopes from previously cut blanks or sheets, at

5 a high rate of production, and with extreme uniformity and perfectionin the resulting prodb not. i

The manufacture of envelopes in accordance with the present invention isparticularly characterized by. folding the side flaps of a previouslyscored and gummed blank over forms with which the lines of scoring areaccurately gaged, the forms thereafter cooperating with bottom flapfolding means to complete the envelope. As a result of the correlatedscoring, gaging and folding operations, envelopes of a superior qualityare produced,from any grade of paper, with sharp clean edges and cornersand of absolutely uniform character. vantageous features of theinvention will here'- inafter more fully appear from the followingdescription with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating onearrangement of instrumentalities for. carrying out the invention, inwhich: 1

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a portion of an envelope machineembodying theinvention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view based on Fig. 1, illustrating the gearing.for driving the mechanism shown. V I I Fig. 4is a fragmentary View ofone of the side flap folding mechanisms.

tion of the parts of the bottom flap folding mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 5, illustrating the partsin a different position.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different drawings.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the mechanism constituting the presentinvention is shown asv being supported between spaced side frames .I, I

45 extending longitudinally of the machine and which afiord suitablebearings for several shaftsextending between the frames. One such shaftis the main driving shaft 2, which is adapted. to be driven from anysuitable source of power, not

50 shown, by means of a belt or driving chain 3,-

The above and other ad- Fig.5 is a fragmentary view illustrating a por-2 and 6 carry cooperating scoring rolls 1' and 8 Y respectively, Fig. 1,the construction of which will be hereinafter described with relation toasso-- ciated mechanism of the machine.

The gear 4 on the drive shaft Zis in mesh with a gear 9 on a shaft Icarrying aroll I I, a portion of the periphery of which is engaged by aplurality of endless belts or tapes I2, spaced from the periphery of thelower scoring roll I by guide rolls I3, see Fig. 1. From the lowerportion of the roll II the tapes I2 pass around a roll I4 mounted on ashaft I that is driven through a train of gears I6, I6 fromthe gear 9 onthe shaft I0. From the tape driving roll I4, the tapes I2 pass upwardlyaround a guide roll H, a portion :of each tape I2 being substantiallyhorizontal between its points of tangencyto the guide roll ll and theuppermost guide roll I3. Consequently, the tapes I2, moving in thedirection of the arrow of Fig. 1, are adapted to convey envelope form nopart of the present invention, and hence are not shown herein.

The roll I4 for driving the tapes I2 also serves to drive a' pluralityof tapes 20. extending horizontally in'alinement with the horizontalportions of the'tapes I2 between the points of tangency'of the rolls IIand I4. The tapes pass around a front guide roll 2I with the ends of Ithe tapes ZIlspaced from a pair of delivery rolls r 22. Themoving tapes2!] are adapted to deliver an envelope'into the bight between: the rolls22 under the control of a pairof stops 23 and gaging fingers 24cooperating withafolding mechanism, hereinafter to be described.

As indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, each envelope blankdelivered to thetapes I2 is adapted to be arrested in its movement toward the scoringrolls] and 8 by means of the stops I8, the

gaging fingers I9 serving to register each blank 25, .as indicated inFig. '2, before release of the blank by the stops I8, permits theenvelope to 1 and 8. Simultaneous rotation of the rolls 1 and 8in'opposite, directions'causes the blank V to be scored along thedesired line of folding bebe projected into the bight between the rolls7."

tween the flaps 25a and the body of the blank. As the scoring iscompleted, a guide 26 cooperating with the lower scoring roll 1 servesto direct the scored blank around the roll I into the bight between theroll I and the roll I I, and from thence to the moving tapes l2.

As the scored envelope blank 25 passes around theperiphery of the roll Hin contact with the tapes l2, adhesive is applied to the extended flaps25a of the blank in any suitable manner, as by means of a roll 2'!providing adhesive applying projections 28, the roll 21. being mounted 7on a shaft 29 carrying one of the gears 16, see

Fig. 3. Liquid adhesive is supplied to the roll 21 from asuitablereservoir 30, in which is rotatably mounted a roll 3| having itsperiphery in contact with a second roll 32, which applies the adhesiveto the projections 280i the roll 1...

Obviously, any other suitable mechanism may be employed for applyingadhesive to the flaps 25a of the envelope bl nk 25.-

Unon leavin th periphery of the roll ll 1 with 1 theadhesive appliedtoits flaps, the blank 25 travels in a substantially horizontal plan andpasses from the tapes 12 t0. the tapes 20 until its movement toward therolls 22 is arrested by the. stops 23, which asbest Shown in Fig. 2, enae-the corn rs of th blank at the in rs c tions of the side flaps 25awith the bottom flap 25b. At thisrmoment, the blank is also acted uponby the gaging fingers 24 which operate from the other side of the blankto en e h corners thereof at theintersections of the side formsr33 bymeans .of folders 34 operating from. I opposite sides oftheblank, see.Fig. 4, the line of folding. ofyeach' flap corresponding exactly withthelineof scoring on the blank. Following this, the bottom flap 25bisfolded along the line of scoring between the flap 25b and the blankbody by means of 'a' folder 35, the foldingopera tion being completed bytravel'of the-blank into the bight between the rolls 22, as illustratedin Figs. 5 and 6, after release of. the blank by the stops 2:3.The-folding :of the bottom flap 25b along the line of scoring is assuredby the pOSi-r. timing of the'end surfaces of the folding forms 33 inalinement with the lineof scoring between the flap 25b and the blankbody, as indicated in Fig. 2, the forms 33 being'afterwards utilized toproject the folded blank into the bight between H the rolls :22. 'As thefolded "blan-k'passes between.

the rolls 22, theroverlapping edges of the side flaps 25a'and bottomflap 2519 are pressed closely together so as to secure the flaps tightlytogether, due to the adhesive therebetween. Having thus generallyoutlined the progress of an envelope 7 blank through the machine, andhaving identified the several instrumentalities operating on each blankfor first accurately gaging and scoring the blank, nextapplying'adhesive, then again gaging the scored blank, andfinallyfolding its flaps exactly alo'ngthe 'lines'of the scoring to produce a.com-plete'envelope, the details of construction and operation of theseinstrumentalities will. now be described. I. 1

25a of the blank bythe roll 21.

blank to rest as it is moved "by the tapes l2 toward the scoring rolls Iand 8, are adjustably mounted on a shaft 36 extending between the sideframes l, l, the position of each stop l8 being determined by a setscrew 37 cooperating with the shaft 36. The gaging fingers l9 aresimilarly The pair of stops l8, which serve to bring each 7 mounted ona'shaft38 extending parallel to the shaft 36, set screws 39 determiningthe position respective shafts. 38 and 38 in order to obtain the properspacing therebetween to'engage' accurately with the four corners of anenvelope blank 25, as indicated in Fig. 2;

The shaft 36 carrying the stops I8 is adapted to have an oscillatorymovement imparted thereto by means of acrank arm 36a pivotally connected,to a link 48 terminating at its end in a yoke portion embracing theshaft 2. As indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, thelink 40 .carries aroll 4| providing a yoke portion embracin -the upper.

. scoring roll shaft 6. The shaft 6 carries a cam 44 upon Whiohbearsaroll'45 carried by the link 43, so that the oscillatory movement of theshafts 36 and 38 again timed relation to the rotation so 1 ofthe'scoring rolls! and 8. The timing of the f cams 42'and 44is such thatas an envelope blank 25 approaches the scoring rolls, the stops 18' are3 turned downwardly into the'position shown. in

Fig. l to arrest the'movement of the blank 25 by the tapes l2. .As'theenvelope blank comes. v to rest, the gaging fingers 19, are also swung.

downwardly to accurately aline the blank, so that there is a dwell inthe movement of the blank toward the scoring rolls '1 and 8, duringwhich the blank is accurately gaged, as shown in Fig. 2.

With the stops l8 and gaging fingers I9 in the position. shown in Fig.l, the upper scoring roll occupies a position in which itsscoringknives...

48 and 41 are disposed above the plane ofthe l is accompanied byan'upward movement. of

the stops l8, thereby; releasing the blank and I permitting it to beprojected towards the rolls 1 and8. The movement of the blank betweenthe rolls is accompanied by scoring ofthe'blank between its four cornersby the knives 46 and "41,-the lower roll .T-being formed of somewhatyielding material if desired. The lines of scor:

ing areindicated on the blank shown at the right direct it between thelower scoring roll I and the roll H .where adhesive. is applied to theflaps with the adhesive applied .thereto' is then conveyed by the beltsl2 in a'horizontal plane toward arrested by'the-stops 23. 7 7

As best shown in Fig. 2, thestops 23 arecarried'by holders 48,'eachadjustably mounted ona the shaft 49. mounted thereon-an arm 54 carryingat its free in Fig. 2. 'As the scored blank passes from-be tween therolls 1 and 8, the guide 261serves'to" The scored blank G5 "the foldingmechanism where its movement is end a roll 52 bearing on the surface ofa cam -53 mounted" on a shaft 54. as shownindotted-75 1' 3! inengagement with the cam 68.

lines in Fig; 1. The shaft 54 is connected by gearing 55 to a shaft 56,see Fig. 3, which in turn is driven from the shaft i5 by means of achain 51 at the opposite side of the frame from the gearing 55, see Fig.2. The gaging fingers 24 which cooperate with the stops 23' are mountedon a shaft 58 extending parallel to the shaft 49, and as best shown inFig. 1, one of the fingers 24 is pivotally connected to a link 59. Thelink provides a yoke portion embracing the shaft l5, and carries a roll5!! bearing on the surface of a cam 6i mounted on the shaft :15. The cam53 controlling the stops 23, and the cam SI controlling the gagingfingers 2 3 are so timed that as a scored blank approaches the foldingmechanism, the stops 23 are swung downwardly in front of the approachingblank, as shown in Fig. 1, thereby arresting the movement of the blankas it engages the forward corners thereof. As this occurs, the gagingfingers 24 are swung upwardly to engage the rear corners of the scoredblank and accurately position it with reference to the rectangular edgesof the then stationary foldling forms 33, as shown at the right in Fig.2. Downward movement of the stops 23 in front of the approaching blankis accompanied by downward movement of a pair of spaced lifters 23a,also mounted to turn with the shaft 39. The lifters 23a serve to deflectthe bottom flap b upwardly over the folder as the blank comes to restagainst the stops 23, as indicated in Fig. 1.

The folding forms 33 are supported on a carriage slidably mountedbetween the side frames I, l, which carriage consists of a cross-bar 52having its ends received in horizontal tracks 63, best shown in Fig. 1.The folder carriage is adapted to receive a reciprocatory movementbetween the tracks 53 from a pair of levers 64 mounted on a cross-shaft65, each lever 56 being pivotally connected by a link 55 to one end ofthe cross-bar 62 of the carriage. Each lever 64 carries a roll 6'!bearing on the surface of a cam 68 mounted on the shaft l5 and springs69 bearing on the carriage serve to maintain the rolls Since the majorportions of the cam 53 are concentric about the axis of shaft E5, thefolder forms 33 are held stationary in the position shown in Fig. 2 whena scored blank is arrested and gaged by the stops 23 and fingers 24.Obviously, continued rotation of the shaft i5 from the position shown inFig. 1 will bring depressed portions of the cams 58 into engagement withthe rolls Bl, thereby permitting the springs 59 to project the carriageand its folder forms 33 toward the delivery rolls 22, this actionoccurring after the folding operations, which will now be described.

As best shown in Fig. 4, each side flap folder 34 is pivotally mountedat E8 on a. slide ll movable at right angles to the line of travel ofthe envelope on a stationary support 12. A spring 13 connected at itsends between the slide H and the folder 35 serves to yieldingly maintaina roll M carried by the folder 34 in engagement with the surface of astationary cam Z5 mounted on the slide support 12. With the parts in theposition shown in full lines, each folder 34 is maintained below a sideflap 25a of the envelope blank 25, as the latter is brought to rest bythe stops 23 in its travel forward on the secondary tapes 25, one ofwhich is shown in Fig. 4. In other words, the folders 36 are in aninoperative position as the scored blank is registered with the thenstationary folder forms 33. 7

Each slide ll carrying a folder 34 provides a roll 16 received in atrack 11 formed in a cam cylinder 78 mounted at one end of the shaft 56,which as previously pointed out, is driven from the shaft l5 through thechain 51. The tracks TI on the cam cylinders 18 are oppositely disposed,as shown in Fig. 2, so that rotation of the shaft 58 is adapted to causethe slide 1! to be moved simultaneously in opposite directions towardthe line of travel of the envelope blank. It is apparent that as theslide H is moved to the left, as viewed in Fig. 4, the folder 34 ridingon the stationary cam 75 will be swung upwardly as it advances towardthe folding form 33, thereby folding a side flap 2511, along the line ofscoring and over the edge of the associated folding form. This actionof. the folders takes place simultaneously on the oppositely extendingside flaps 25a.

After the folding of each side flap 25a takes place, as indicated indotted lines in Fig. 4, the folder 35 previously referred to is operatedto cause the bottom flap 25b to be folded over into engagement with thethen folded side flaps 25w. As best shown in Fig. 2, the folder 35 isU-shaped in form with a horizontal portion 35a extending beneath theinclined flap 25b of the envelope blank as it comes to rest before thefolding operation, the lifters 23a serving to direct the flap 251) abovethe horizontal folder portion 35a. The ends of the folder 35 arereceived in holders 19 mounted on a cross-shaft 80, one end of whichcarries a crank arm 88a pivotally connected to a link 8!. The link 8|terminates in a yoke portic-n embracing the shaft 5 5 and carries a roll82 earing on a cam 83 mounted on the shaft As previously pointed out,the shaft 5 3 also carries the cam 53 controlling the stops 23, and thecams 83 and 53 are so timed that as the folder 35 is swung to the leftto fold the bottom flap 250. along its line of scoring over the endsurfaces of the folder forms 33, the stops 23 will be raised, asindicated in Fig. 6.

When the stops 23 are raised, as just described, the tapes Z8 exert aforce on the partially folded envelope, tending to move the envelopetoward the delivery rolls 22, the lower one of which is mounted on ashaft 35 carrying a gear 85 in mesh with the gearing 55, see Fig. 3. Therelease of the envelope by the stops 23 is also accompanied by movementof the folder form carriage toward the delivery rolls 22, the carriagecontrolling cam 68 permitting the springs 59 to project the carriagetoward the rolls 22 just after the stops 23 are raised. Therefore, thepartially folded envelope is immediately projected into the bightbetween the rolls 22, as indicated in Fig. 6, the folding of the flapsbeing completed as they pass under the folder 35, and the adhesivebetween the flaps being pressed closely to cause sticking as theenvelope passes between the delivery rolls 22.

The return movement of the folder plate carriage following theprojection of a folded blank to the rolls 22 is preceded by a slightmovement of the folder forms 33 towards each other, so as to fully clearthe forms from the corners of the envelope and prevent binding. Whilethe specific mechanism for causing the shifting of the folder forms 33forms no part of the present invention, it is indicated in Fig. 1, andwill only be described briefly. As shown, each folder form 33 is mountedon a carrier 85 shiftable on the cross bar 62 of the carriage, eachcarrier 86 being in threaded engagement with a shaft 81 extendingparallel to the cross bar 62 and rotatably 7 arm 88 leaves the stop 89,thereby permitting a -.The folder plate carriers 86 are so mounted onthe shaft 87 that with the arm 83 in the position shown in Fig. 1, theedges of the forms 33 are in exact register with the lines of scoring onan envelope blank as it is positioned beneath the plates by the stops 23and fingers 24. However, as the carriage is projected toward the rolls22 following the folding operations described above, the

spring 90 to turn the arm 88 into the position shown in Fig. 6. At thismoment the carriage has reached the limit of its travel toward the rolls22.in projecting the folded blank between the rolls, and the turning ofthe shaft 81 through the relatively small angle indicated causes thecarriers 86 to be moved towards each other. This results in shifting theedges of the folding forms 33 from the lines of folding of the sideflaps, so that a withdrawal of the forms 33 from the envelope isaccomplished without any bindmg. 7 r 7 From the foregoing, it isapparent that by the present invention there isprovided an improvedarrangement of instrumentalities for making completed envelopes, at ahigh rate of production,

with extreme uniformity in the folding of the envelope blank flaps withrespect to the body. As

a result of the correlated operations of gaging,

prescored blank providing extending fiaps,:means for arresting theadvancement of said blank, and for gaging said blank with reference tosaid stationary forms, of means for folding the side flaps of said blankover said forms and means for m0v- 5 ing said forms to also cause thefolding of the bottom flap over said forms. I I e v f 13. In an envelopemachine, the combination with stationary forms providing parallelstraight edges, and means for advancing a pre-scored blank providingextended'side flaps, a bottom flap and a seal flap, of stops forarresting the advancement of said blank and gaging members cooperatingwith said stops for registering the lines of scoring of said side flapswith the straight edges of said, forms by engagement with the junctionsof said bottom and seal flaps with said a side flaps, and means forfolding the side flaps over said forms exactly along the linesof scoringwhile said blank is held stationary by said reg istering means.

4. In an envelope machine, the combination with stationary formsproviding parallel straight edges, and means for advancing a pre-score'dblank providing extended side flaps, a bottom 25 flap and aseal flap, ofstops for arresting the advancement ofsaid blank and gaging members-cooperating with said stops for registering the scoring, gumming, re-gaging, and folding over 7 forms along the lines of scoring, envelopesof a superior quality are produced, from any grade of paper, withsharpclean edges and corners of uniform character. 7 a

I claim: I I

1. The improvement in the manufacture of envelopes which consists ingaging a blank, scoring it between its extended flaps, gumming saidflaps, regaging said blank to aline its scoring with the edges ofstationary forms and folding said flaps over said forms exactly alongtheir lines of scoring.

2. In an envelope machine, the combination with stationary forms, meansfor advancing a lines of scoring of said side flaps with the straightedges of said forms, means for folding the side 0 flaps over said formsexactly along their'lines of; scoring, and means for moving said forms,to-, gether with the partially folded blank-to also cause the folding ofthe bottom flap over said forms exactly along its lineof scoring. 35 5.The improvementfin the manufacture of envelopes, which consists ingaging 'ablank, scorin-g said blank between its extended side-flaps andbottom flap, gumming said flaps, re-gaging said" blank to aline'itsscoring with the edges or sta- 'tionary forms, folding first said sideflaps and then said bottom flap over said forms exactly along theirlines of scoring, and finally shifting the partially folded blank tocomplete folding ment with said side flaps. 1 l a V VINCENT EJI-IEYWOOD,

down of said bottom flap into adhesive engage-

